the effect of jigsaw method to improve efl students

METATHESIS: JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LITERATURE AND TEACHING Vol. 2, No. 2, October 2018 PP 171 - 183

DOI: 10.31002/metathesis. v2i2.695

p-ISSN: 2580-2712 e-ISSN: 2580-2720

171 Acces article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

The Effect of Jigsaw Method to Improve EFL Students’

Vocabulary Ability

Yohanes P. F. Erfiani

1, Hesni Neno

2

1,2 Universitas Timor,

Jl. KM 9, Kelurahan Sasi, Kefamenanu, Timor, NTT,

Indonesia [email protected]; [email protected]

Received: 31st March 2018 Revised: 9th August 2018 Published: 31st October 2018

Abstract

This study was aimed to improve students’ ability in learning

vocabulary through jigsaw method at Timor University in, Timor

Tengah Utara regency (TTU), NTT Province, Indonesia. The main

purpose of this study is to know the effect of using jigsaw method to

improve students’ vocabulary ability. This study belongs to pre

experimental method with the one group pretest - posttest design. This

study was conducted in one class which was given the treatment. The

treatment of this study is teaching and learning process by using

jigsaw method. The population of this study was second semester

students of English study program of Timor University in academic

year 2017/2018. The total members of second semester students were

120 who were divided into three (3) classes. Every class consisted of

30 students. The writers used purposive sampling technique to take

the data. The writers only determined one class because the writer

assumed that in this class, students have sufficient knowledge of

English. Hence, the sample of this study was 30 students. The writers

had conducted pre test before gave the treatment to the students.

Finally, the writers gave the posttest to measure students’ vocabulary

ability in the end of teaching and learning process. From the data

analysis, the writers found that the average of the students’ vocabulary

was improvement. The average of students’ score in pretest was 65%

and posttest was 79%. After the writers conducted the research, the

writers concluded that (1). Jigsaw method can improve students’

vocabulary ability. (2). Jigsaw method can improve the students’

interaction with the teacher and other students.

Key words: Jigsaw Method, Vocabulary Ability

Introduction

By and large, English has four two abilities. They are main and sub skill. Main

skill consists of speaking, writing, listening and reading abilities and sub skill

consist of grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary abilities. EFL Students have to

master main abilities in learning English. But, the fourth main abilities are difficult

to master by the EFL students if they do not apply with some sub skills. It cannot

be argued that sub skill consists of grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary

abilities. In order to master the main abilities, students have to master sub skill

because the application of main ability depends for students’ comprehension

Erfiani et.al

The Effect of Jigsaw Method to Improve the EFL ….

172

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toward the sub skill. For example, if the students want to improve their speaking

ability, they have to master grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. Then, they

can speak fluently in English without hesitant. From this short example above, it is

proved that sub skill is also very important skill in learning English.

Kimble and Garmezy, (1963: 133) stated that learning is a relative permanent

change in a behavioral tendency and is the result of reinforced practice. Similarly,

teaching, which is implied in the first definition of learning, may be defines as

showing or helping someone to learn how to do something, giving instruction,

guiding in the study of something, providing with knowledge, causing to know or

understand.

Teaching cannot be defined apart from learning. Teaching is guiding and

facilitating learning. Enabling the learner to learn, setting the conditions for

learning. Teacher’s understanding of how the learner learns will determine his or

her philosophy of education, teaching style, approach, methods, and classroom

techniques. Theory of teaching will spell out governing principles for choosing

certain methods and techniques, a theory of teaching, in harmony with the teacher

integrated understanding of the learner and the subject matter to be learned, will

pint the way with successful procedure on a given day for given learners under

variant – constraints of particular context of learning. In other words the teacher’s

theory of teaching is the teacher’s theory of learning.

In this study, the writers focus on vocabulary skill because they found that

students had lack of vocabulary. It is proved by the students’ ability in vocabulary

lecture in Intensive English Course lecture. Only several students had good scores.

After one of the writers taught vocabulary lecture in the second semester, the

writer found that there were some difficulties that faced by the students in

following Intensive English Course lecture. They are presented below. They were

difficult to understand about the prepositional phrasal verbs, they were difficult to

use the English word in appropriately context, they did not memorize well the

vocabulary, they were difficult to identify word classes, etc.

It has generally known that language is produced by using some sentences. A

sentence consists of some words. In this era, there is a lecture in English Foreign

Language (EFL) class which learns about words. It is vocabulary lecture.

Vocabulary is a lecture which study about a list or collection of words usually

alphabetically arranged and explained or lexicon, stock of words use in language or

by class, individual, etc” (Webster Dictionary, 1985:1073 in Jr (2012). Students

learn vocabulary lecture to improve their comprehension above some types of

words in English. It is purposed to improve students’ main skill. By and large,

there are two main skills in English. They are productive skills and receptive skill.

Productive skill consists of speaking and writing and receptive skill consists of

listening and writing. In other words, if students want to improve main skill

(productive and receptive skill), they have to master sub skill. There are 3 sub

skills in English. They are grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. For example,

study this situation below; students can improve their speaking skill by having

many vocabulary, good grammar and good pronunciation. So, they can speak well

without hesitant. Another example, if students want to improve their writing skill

in writing a scientific writing, they have to have good grammar and good

vocabulary. So they can produce a good writing. Based on the example above, it



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can be concluded that sub skills are very important to improve students’ main skill.

In this study, the researcher concerned of vocabulary skill.

According to Pikulski and Templeton (2004: 4) there are several components of

a comprehensive approach to teach and develop students’ vocabulary. They are (1).

Use Instructional read aloud events; (2). Provide direct instruction in the meanings

of cluster of words and individual words; (3). Systematically teach students the

meaning of prefixes, suffixes, and root words; (4). Link spelling instruction to read

and vocabulary instruction; (5). Teach the effective, efficient, realistic use of

dictionaries, thesauruses, and other reference works; (6). Teach, model and

encourage the application of a word – learning strategy; (7) encourage wide

reading; (8). Create a keen awareness of and a deep interest in language and words.

Those components can encourage students to master vocabulary.

Beside those approaches, teachers have to use teaching method in order to

improve students’ vocabulary because teaching method can guide teachers to teach

students in classroom. Teachers are hoped to use some methods in developing

students’ vocabulary skill. In this decade, there are some methods to teach

vocabulary in EFL class. According to Richard and Rogers (1986), there are some

English Foreign Language (EFL) methodologies such as, Direct Method focuses

on listening and speaking. It also concerns on grammar rules and vocabulary lists.

The goals of this method is to teach students usually adults, how to converse in

everyday situations in another language. The Audio - lingual Method is a method

for foreign language teaching which emphasized the teaching of listening and

speaking before reading and writing. This method is combination between

behavioral psychology and linguistic. Presentation – Practice – Production, or PPP,

is a method for teaching structures (e.g. grammar or vocabulary) in a foreign

language. PPP focuses on oral skills (speaking skill). Activities in Communication

Language Teaching (CLT) typically involve students in real and realistic

communication. This method helps students develop their communicative

competence in an authentic context is considered an acceptable and beneficial form

of instruction. This explanation proves that the main focus of CLT is speaking and

listening. Grammar Translation Method (GTM) used in teaching English as a

foreign language (TEFL) focuses on reading and writing. Grammar Translation

Method focuses on sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary and direct translations

of the native language to English. GTM is appropriate in teaching writing to

improve students writing skill but it is very old and it is familiar used by other

researchers. Task based language teaching is a method for foreign language

teaching which emphasized some tasks to improve students’ ability. Jigsaw is a

type of cooperative learning which consists of some members in a heterogenous

group that have responsibility for mastering a part of material and have an ability

to teach them to the other member from their group (Arends , 1997). Jigsaw has

designed to improve the students’ responsibility to their own learning and other

learning. They are not only learn the given materials, but also they have to be ready to give and teach them to another group’s member. So, they depend on each other

and work together cooperatively. (Lie, A, 1994). Some more information about

jigsaw will be elaborated in detail below.

The writers assume that beside of students’ difficulties, there is another aspect

which influences the students’ ability in learning English vocabulary. One of them

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is teaching method. Teaching method is one of another aspects that also influences

the students’ achievement. By and large, teaching and method cannot be separated

each other because methods could support teaching and learning process in the

classroom. In this decades, there are some teaching methods need to be applied in

teaching and learning process. Those methods can be assisted teachers to teach

well in the classroom. The methods can be facilitated teacher to explore their

teaching ability. Method is the process of planning, selecting and grading language

materials and items, techniques of teaching, etc (Patel and Jain, 2008: 71).

Moreover according to Anthony (1963 in Patel and Jain, 2008: 71), method is a

particular trick, strategy or contrivance used to accomplish an immediate objective.

It might be consistent with a method and harmony with an approach as well.

Therefore, teachers always have to apply a good method to support the material in

teaching and learning process. After one of the writer evaluated her teaching

method in the previous semester, the writer found that she has to change the

teaching method which is approximately with vocabulary lecture. Therefore, the

writer works together with her friend in using the new teaching method which has

ever used by another researcher in this university. Therefore, the writers agreed to

choose the jigsaw method to improve students’ vocabulary. The writers assume

that jigsaw method can improve students’ vocabulary.

Jigsaw has first introduced and experimented by Elliot Aronson and colleagues

in Texas University then have been adopted by Slavin and colleagues in John

Hopkins University (Arends, 2001). This teaching technique has been developed as

the cooperative learning method which is used to teach speaking, reading, listening

and writing. Besides that, the language components can be taught by using this

technique.

There are many benefits of using jigsaws in the classroom including the

following:

1. Jigsaw can Improve team and class dynamics by helping to build trust,

creating a space for candor and for

2. Jigsaw can give some respectful disagreement and making a safe space for

taking emotional risks.

3. Jigsaw can help in building cohorts (i.e., within majors) by enabling

students to really get to know each other in

4. One class, which can translate to more interactions outside of class in

departmental and campus activities.

5. Jigsaw can foster student engagement through peer learning and more

equal participation by everyone in the group by empowering individual

students to share their own “expertise” or contribution to the jigsaw group.

6. Jigsaw can require students who are shy or quiet to participate more fully in

active ways.

7. Efficiency (time saving): possible to cover more material rapidly when

students are assigned different readings/roles/etc. and then teach each other

in the jigsaw.



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There are some important criteria that should be applied to classroom tasks in

order to make group work effective. This list of five basic principles forms the core

of Together We Learn (Clark et al., 1990):

1. Students work in small heterogeneous groups.

2. Students work in positive interdependence

3. Students are accountable both as individuals and as a group

4. Students learn through ample opportunity for purposeful talk

5. Students learn and practice cooperative skills as they study and explore the

subject matter together.

Jigsaw is one of the cooperative learning techniques, is based on group

dynamics and social interactions (Sahin, 2010). It means that the student must

study in a group (Anonymous, 2010:30). The steps of jigsaw technique in

classroom are as follows.

First, teacher divides the students into small groups. Each group consists of

three to five students. These groups are called jigsaw group. Teacher gives a

passage consists of some segments of the material to all students in jigsaw group.

Second, each student in Jigsaw groups is assigned to choose a section or portion

of the material. After that, students who choose the same section gather and make a

new group called expert group. In this step, the researcher gives time to these

“Expert Group” to discuss the main point of their segment. They may share ideas,

opinions, and comprehension about the material and try to solve their problem.

After that, they return to their jigsaw groups and explain the material to each other,

until all of them in jigsaw groups comprehend the material. Finally, give a quiz

based on the material to find out students’ achievement (Slavin, 2005; Mengduo

and Xiaoling, 2010; Hersulastuti, 2010).

As the writers explained before in the previous paragraphs that there are some

difficulties that faced by the students in mastering vocabulary on Intensive English

Course lecture. Based on the writers’ experience, almost all students were difficult

to understand the prepositional phrasal verbs. They made mistakes in arranging

prepositional phrasal verb. Therefore, the writers intend to conduct a research to

improve students’ vocabulary above prepositional phrasal verb. Furthermore, the

researchers assumed that jigsaw method should be a good method, if it is combined

with the experimental study with the one group pretest - posttest design. Therefore,

the writers intend to conduct a research using experimental study on applying

jigsaw method in teaching learning process to improve student’ vocabulary.

Thereby, the title of this study is “The Effect of Jigsaw Method to Improve EFL

Students’ Vocabulary Ability”.

Method

This study belongs to pre experimental method with the One Group Pretest -

Posttest design. This study was conducted in one class which was given the

treatment. The treatment of this study is teaching and learning process by using jigsaw method. The writers conducted this study in Timor University (UNIMOR).

It is located in Kefamenanu, East Nusa Tenggara Province. This study was

conducted on March 2018 in the academic year 2017/2018. The population of this

study was second semester students of English study program of Timor University

in academic year 2017 / 2018. The total members of second semester students

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176


were 120 who were divided into three (3) classes. Every class consisted of 30

students. The writers used purposive sampling technique to take the data. The

writer determined one class because she assumed that students had sufficient

knowledge of English in this class. Therefore, the sample of this study was 30

students.

The instruments were used to obtain the data in this study were in form of test.

The writers had conducted pretest before gave the treatment to student. Finally,

the writers gave them test to measure their abilities in learning propositional

phrasal verb by using jigsaw method. To collect the data in this study, the writers

also used library research and test. (1) The writers collected the theory of jigsaw

method to guide them in conducting this study. (2) The writers also corrected

students’ test and gave the score based on the classical standard measurement that

applied in this university.

This study used some procedures to collect the data. This study used three (3)

steps. They are presented below.

1. The writers recapitalized the students’ test (pretest and posttest). Then, the

writers began to analyze the data.

2. The writers classified the score based on the classical standard of measurement

which was used in this university.

3. The writers analyzed the average of students score. In analyzing the students

score, the writers used simple descriptive statistic analysis. The writers used

simple formula to measure the average of students’ ability. In giving grades to the

students both as an individual and as a class, two formulas were used. The first

was for counting grade or score showing their ability level of each student. The

second was for counting grade or score showing their level ability as a class.

The writer used two formula in this research. The first formula was used to

compute the individual ability level. Below are the formulas:

Score = Total score of all numbers

Total numbers

The individual ability level of students is achieved if he or she gets 66% or 6, 6

score in the lecture.

The second formula was used to compute the student’s ability level as a class.

The formula is as follows:

n

XX

Where:

X = Mean / the average of students’ score

X = The sum of every data / total score

n = The sum of data/ the number of students (Riduwan, 2012: 84)

The students’ ability level as a class is achieved if 85% of all students get score

more than 66% or 6, 6 score (≥ 6, 6) in the lecture.



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Findings and discussion

Pre Test Activities

In this section, the writers described the effect of jigsaw method to improve

students’ vocabulary ability in learning prepositional phrasal verbs. The pretest

was conducted on Tuesday / 7th March 2018. The steps of this activities began

with the writers had came to the class and gave the pretest for the students without

giving the treatment. Directly, the writers asked the students to prepare their self

well in answering the pre test. The pretest was conducted to know the students’

vocabulary ability before giving the treatment by using jigsaw method in teaching

and learning process. The score of students’ pre test are described in detail in the

table below.

Table I. Students’ Pre test Score

No Students’ Name Pre test (O1) Level of Ability

1 Student 1 40 Poor

2 Student 2 40 Poor

3 Student 3 40 Poor

4 Student 4 55 Below average



7 Student 7 65 Average

8 Student 8 70 Fairly good









17 Student 17 40 Poor












29 Student 29 50 Below average 30 Student 30 67 Fairly good

Total 1672

Average 55,7

Maximum Score 70

Minimum Score 40

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The average of students’ score as follow:

n

XX

30

1672X

= 55, 7

From the analysis of students’ vocabulary pretest, the writers found that the

average of the students’ vocabulary was not good. The average of students’ score

was 55, 73. It was proved by the data. Almost all students obtained the low score

in answering the test of prepositional phrasal verb topic. From the table above, it

can be seen that only seventh (7) students who fulfilled classical standard

measurement but twenty three (23) students did not fulfill the standard

measurement that applied in this university. In other words, students did not

master about prepositional phrasal verbs. It means that their comprehension about

prepositional phrasal verbs was very poor. That is why the writers used

experimental method especially one group pretest – posttest in order to know their

comprehension about prepositional phrasal verbs after accepting the treatment by

teaching them about the topic. Therefore, students can understand more deeply

about prepositional phrasal verbs.

Treatment

In this section, the writers gave the treatment to the second semester students

by teaching them about prepositional phrasal verbs. The treatment was conducted

on 19th

March 2018. The writers used Jigsaw method in giving the treatment. The

steps of this study began with the writers had came to the class. Then, directly the

writers gave treatment by using jigsaw method in learning prepositional phrasal

verb topic. In other words, the treatment of this study was jigsaw method. There

were some procedures of jigsaw method on teaching and learning process in the

classroom. They are presented below.

1. Teacher divided the students into small groups.

Each group consisted of three to five students. These groups were called

jigsaw group. Teacher gave a passage consists of some segments of the

material (preposition phrasal group) to all students in jigsaw group.

2. Each student in Jigsaw groups was assigned to choose a section or portion of the material. After that, students who choosed the same section gather

and make a new group called expert group. In this step, the researchers

gave time to these “Expert Group” to discuss the main point of their

segment. They may share ideas, opinions, and comprehension about the

material and try to solve their problem. After that, they returned to their

jigsaw groups and explained the material to each other, until all of them in

jigsaw groups comprehend the material.

3. Finally, the teacher or researcher gave a text based on the material to find

out students’ achievement (Slavin, 2005; Mengduo and Xiaoling, 2010;

Hersulastuti, 2010).



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Post Test Activities

This study belongs to pre experimental method with the One Group Pretest –

Posttest design. It means that the writers had to conduct the post test in the end of

teaching and learning process. The test was used to know the effect on applying

jigsaw method in teaching and learning process. The score of students’ test are

described in detail in table below.

Table 2. Student’s Post test Score

No Students’

Name

Posttest

(O2)

Level of Ability






6 Student 6 88 Very good





11 Student 11 93 Good




















Total 2437

Average 81,2

Maximum Score 94

Minimum Score 67

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The average of students’ score as follow:

n

XX

30

2245X

= 74,8

From the analysis of students’ vocabulary posttest, the writers found that the

average of the students’ vocabulary was good. The average of students’ score was

81,2. From the table above, it can be seen that all students fulfilled classical

standard of measurement that applied in this university. Therefore, from the

analysis of students test result in posttest, it can be said that there was an

improvement from the pre test. The writers concluded that the problem has been

solved on using jigsaw method.

The writers also found that the majority of students joined the class

enthusiastically and the teacher as a researcher was good on teaching prepositional

phrasal verb by using jigsaw method. In other words, students interested on

learning vocabulary lecture through jigsaw method. Jigsaw method could

motivate students to be active and had a great participant on learning vocabulary

lecture during teaching and learning process in classroom. It can be seen from

their responses during teaching and learning process. The majority of the students

took good involvement on working together with his or her partner in pairs. They

could try to develop their critical thinking while they worked together in pairs.

Students were not hesitant to speak and gave the idea while they discussed with

their friends. Therefore, jigsaw method helped students to develop their critical

thinking.

The Analysis of Pretest and Posttest The analysis of students’ pretest and posttest vocabulary score after giving the

treatment in teaching and learning process can be seen briefly in this table below:



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Table 3.

The Comparison between Students’ pretest and Students’ posttest

No Students’ Name Pretest

(O1)

Treatment

(X)

Posttest

(O2)

Level

Improvement

1 Student 1 40 X 67 27

2 Student 2 40 X 75 35

3 Student 3 40 X 68 28

4 Student 4 55 X 70 15

5 Student 5 50 X 67 17

6 Student 6 53 X 88 35

7 Student 7 65 X 88 23

8 Student 8 70 X 93 23

9 Student 9 65 X 89 24

10 Student 10 60 X 87 27

11 Student 11 70 X 93 23

12 Student 12 60 X 87 27

13 Student 13 62 X 85 23

14 Student 14 55 X 76 21

15 Student 15 50 X 78 28

16 Student 16 65 X 86 21

17 Student 17 40 X 69 29

18 Student 18 66 X 87 21

19 Student 19 40 X 74 34

20 Student 20 50 X 78 28

21 Student 21 55 X 78 23

22 Student 22 70 X 93 23

23 Student 23 40 X 75 35

24 Student 24 60 X 84 24

25 Student 25 70 X 94 24

26 Student 26 64 X 85 21

27 Student 27 40 X 76 36

28 Student 28 60 X 86 26

29 Student 29 50 X 76 26

30 Student 30 67 X 85 18

Total 1672 X 2437 765

Average 55,7 X 81,2 25.5

Maximum Score 70 X 94 36

Minimum Score 40 X 67 17

Based on the table above, it can be concluded that students mastered the

prepositional phrasal verbs after the teacher had taught them in teaching and

learning process. It proved by their’ post test score. There were some points or

information dealing with the table above. Those points will be elaborated in detail

below.

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182


1. Students’ score improved significantly in post test. The average of students

score in pretest was 55,7% and the posttest was 81,2%. It means that there was

an improvement after giving the treatment. The level improvement was

25,5%.

2. All second semester students passed the post test. In other words, students

fulfilled standard measurement that applied in this university.

3. The minimum score was 40 in pretest and 67 in posttest. There was an

improvement after giving the treatment by using jigsaw method. The level

improvement was 17.

4. The maximum score was 70 in pretest and 94 in posttest. There was an

improvement after giving the treatment by using jigsaw method. The level

improvement was 36.

The analysis of pretest and posttest of students’ vocabulary score can be seen

in this chart below.

Figure 1. Chart of the Aspect of Vocabulary Score

Conclusion

The conclusion of this study is presented according to the data which have

been analyzed in the previous chapter. From all the data analysis toward the effect

of jigsaw method to improve students’ vocabulary ability in mastering

prepositional phrasal verb, it can be concluded that the effect of jigsaw method

can improve students' vocabulary ability. It can be seen by students’ achievement

in vocabulary test. The result of this study showed that the students’ vocabulary

ability improved efficiently and effectively after following the teaching and

learning process by using jigsaw method. Moreover, the effect of jigsaw method

can improve the students’ interaction with the teacher and other students. Based

on explanation above, the writers conclude that the effect of jigsaw method can



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improve second semester students’ vocabulary achievement of English study

program of Timor University in academic year 2017 / 2018.

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